New resources for field crop disease management

Published: March 1, 2018

Much like the development of herbicide-resistant weeds, repeated use of chemical control methods can result in the selection of fungicide-resistant pathogen isolates in the field. In an effort to preserve the effectiveness of herbicide technology, the Take Action pesticide resistance program was launched in 2013 as Take Action on Weeds. This January, it has expanded to include fungicide resistance management as part of its farmer-focused educational platform as Take Action on Diseases. The program website includes resources on fungicide resistance management for field crops, including a Fungicide Classification poster.

In addition to the Take Action program, other resources are available with information on fungicide resistance management (Bradley et al. 2014 and CPN-4001) and fungicide efficacy for field crops. Fungicide efficacy tables are constructed each year from data gathered by independent, unbiased University researchers across the United States. Tables are available for foliar diseases of corn, soybean, and small grains and seedling diseases of soybean. The most commonly used products are tested in these trials, so the list is not comprehensive of all products that are commercially available. When using fungicides, follow all label recommendations on the container. The label is the law! Keep in mind that fungicides are a tool, not a cure. Integrated pest management practices are necessary to preserve their effectiveness.

The Crop Protection Network (CPN) also has re-vamped its webpage and includes a whole host of field crop disease resources compiled by university, government, and industry experts which are reviewed and unbiased. Fact sheets, videos, and live twitter feeds from CPN experts are all readily available on the CPN website. Resources are currently available for corn, soybeans, and small grains, including disease loss estimates, disease fact sheets, scouting resources, and fungicide FAQ sheets.